Most of our DEN discussions about composition involve how to make the Disklavier most accurately record or perform in special circumstances. Many composers like to use Disklavier to explore rhythms and speeds that are beyond human playability. We've dealt with MIDI ins and outs, prepared strings, algorhythmic mutations of playing, you name it.

Composer Hans Tammen turns all of that exactitude on its head, exploring the sonic creations made possible by the LIMITS of the Disklavier's own mechanical elements. In Music for Choking Disklavier (2006, Clang) Tammen built projects in the authoring environment Max/MSP to tax the Disklavier BEYOND its limits of velocity and data. In some moments the volume is set too low to make the hammers actually strike strings, producing extended spans of muted rhythmic thumping. In others, data overload causes the Disklavier to "choke", punctuating spans of silence with clumps of note-data all at once. The result is an eerie soundscape with its own beauty and interest. Don't take our word for it, though--listen for yourself!

What's the most unusual thing you've ever done with a Disklavier? Let us know! Email
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Believe it or not, an early DisklavierTV event was actually part of the inspiration for this collection, and this content continues to be available on-demand for DisklavierTV subscribers. If your Disklavier is set up to view DisklavierTV (see the setup instructions, HERE), you may see and hear Dr. Yui's performance and commentary on the Waldstein and Appasionata sonatas on your own piano! Enjoy!

Congratulations to the Sydney Conservatorium, the first institution in Australia to purchase a DCFX Disklavier Concert Grand! Yamaha Australia reports that Dr Robert Curry, Principal of the Conservatorium High School, travelled to Yamaha's factory in Japan earlier this year and chose the Disklavier for its many educational possibilties, including remote learning opportunities. The piano will be launched officially in late July featuring Stephanie McCallum (Associate Professor of Piano, Sydney Conservatorium of Music), and special guest recitals performed live from London and Seoul.

As our DEN map continues to expand, we would love to hear what is happening in YOUR corner of the globe!

Pianist Frederic Chiu is an acclaimed artist who has pushed boundaries in the world of classical music - from performance protocols and recording, to teaching and technology. He is in the spotlight yet again with a new “first”: a recording that combines state-of-the-art audio and video technology, masterpieces of the Western classical music canon, and contemporary works rooted in the East. This is the inaugural classical music release from Yamaha Entertainment Group of America.

Are you on the faculty of an institution that attracts students from across the country or from around the world? Is it a challenge for prospective students to visit your school and audition in person?

Or do you teach students who are preparing for college auditions? Do you want to help them audition for admission or scholarships at schools outside of your geographic region?

The Disklavier Education Network offers student pianists the opportunity to audition for admission to undergraduate and graduate music programs by recording their audition on a Disklavier PRO piano, complete with synchronized video. These recordings capture every detail of a performance--over one thousand increments of measurement scrutinize every keystroke and hammer strike. Even the pedals are recorded incrementally, maintaining all the subtlety and character of the original performance.

In 1916, the year before his untimely death, Scott Joplin recorded 7 piano rolls. These rolls were recorded during a period in which the concept of “hand-played rolls” was still being developed.Regrettably, several factors undermined Joplin’s recordings. For starters,...

Dr. Pamela Pike, Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Louisiana State University, has been using the Disklavier as a distance-learning and pedagogical tool for as long as just about anyone. Last year (2016), she had the idea to incorporate these technologies into he...

Yamaha artist Dan Tepfer has long embraced the Disklavier as a performance tool. Using the Disklavier's ability to send and receive data in real time, Tepfer combines algorithmic computer programming and MIDI-driven visualizations to produce unique performances in which...

Yamaha's My Music Recorder iOS app has been around for several years, providing a cute and handy way for students, teachers, and parents to keep a video record of practicing, as well as share achievements on YouTube. Now, a hidden feature will also allow Disklavier (E3 ...